Governor Shapiro, Mayor Kenney, & Philadelphia Labor Leaders Promote Job Creation, Economic Benefits of Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub

October 17, 2023

Pennsylvania is the only state in the country to secure two regional hydrogen hub projects – including the Mid-Atlantic hub in Philadelphia – ensuring the Commonwealth will become a national leader in clean and renewable energy.

The historic $750 million investment for the Philadelphia region will create thousands of good-paying union jobs.

Philadelphia, PA – Today in Philadelphia, Governor Josh Shapiro, Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council Business Manager Ryan Boyer, Steamfitters Local 420 Business Manager Jim Snell, and Cheyney University President Aaron Walton highlighted the job creation and economic development benefits of the $750 million federal investment the Shapiro Administration helped secure for the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) in Philadelphia. The MACH2 hub will create thousands of good-paying union jobs across the region and ensure that Pennsylvania is a national leader in clean energy for decades to come.

Last week, Governor Shapiro joined President Biden at the Tioga Marine Terminal in Philadelphia to announce the $750 million federal investment to build the renewable MACH2 in Philadelphia and the surrounding region, which will create over 20,000 jobs – with a particular focus on union jobs. The Biden Administration also selected the ARCH2 Hydrogen Hub based in West Virginia, which will create 21,000 jobs for the Appalachian region, including in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

“Thanks to the work of my Administration and our partners in labor, industry, higher education, and government, Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation to have secured two clean hydrogen hubs projects. The eyes of the nation have been on Pennsylvania – and we have proven time and again that we can do big things here,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “This investment is a game changer for our Commonwealth and for the energy economy – and in southeastern Pennsylvania, that means we’ll create 20,800 good paying union jobs in plumbing, pipefitting, electrical work, engineering and so much more. With this new hydrogen hub, we have the chance to prove ourselves again as the center of the clean energy universe – and with Philly labor at the helm here, I know that we are going make big waves in the energy sector for decades to come.”

Governor Shapiro has been a strong supporter of this investment in the Commonwealth. In his inaugural budget address, the Governor said the future of clean energy should run through Pennsylvania – and this investment is a critical step towards that reality.

The Shapiro Administration has worked closely with organized labor, industry partners, and neighboring states to make Pennsylvania the only state in the country to secure two regional clean hydrogen hubs. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Rich Negrin was part of the team that presented the proposal to the Department of Energy in July. Pennsylvania is well-positioned to take advantage of this historic investment with the Commonwealth’s competitive energy sector, abundant natural resources, and skilled workforce ready to bring these projects home.

DOE’s award to the MACH2 marks a once in a lifetime opportunity for the Greater Philadelphia region to use its strengths in technology and infrastructure to produce clean hydrogen for use in multiple sectors of the economy, all while creating and retaining jobs in the region.

“The MACH2 and ARCH2 Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs represent transformative investments in our city and commonwealth, creating thousands of family-sustaining jobs and tapping into our vast talent pool,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Over the next decade, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to see that our current energy workers are part of a just transition to the new energy economy and ensure that the next generation of workers gets a chance to participate in the future of energy – here in Philadelphia and across the state.”

Philadelphia unions were critical partners in securing the MACH2 hub in the Philadelphia region. The Philadelphia Building Trades Council, led by Ryan Boyer, and other local union representatives helped MACH2 identify local unions in the tri-state region that would benefit from its projects.

As President Biden said on Friday, every project in the MACH2 hub will use Project Labor Agreements and create good-paying union jobs and provide nearly $14 million regional Workforce Development Boards that will serve as partners for community college training and pre-apprenticeships. The construction phase of the MACH2 alone will employ thousands of skilled tradespeople to help build hydrogen production and storage facilities and the upstream renewable power supply and transmission assets such as solar farms and wind power installations.

In total, MACH2 will create approximately 20,800 direct jobs – 14,400 in construction jobs and 6,400 permanent jobs for skilled, union laborers, including plumbers, pipefitters, electricians, and more.

“This backdrop was specifically chosen because it represents what we are going to do with these jobs that the President of the United States helped us get with a $750 million grant for the hydrogen hub,” said Ryan Boyer, Business Manager of the Philadelphia Building & Construction Trades Council. “With my brothers and sisters in Philadelphia Building Trades, we’re going to train the next generation of construction workers and infrastructure workers, and we’re going to build America back better. We have all the partners to make this a transformative project and create perpetual jobs and perpetual benefits for this region.”

“The Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2) has the potential to revolutionize the nation’s energy sector and make Pennsylvania a leader in clean energy development while driving economic growth and creating good-paying union jobs,” said Jim Snell, Business Manager of Steamfitters Local 420. “By leveraging our infrastructure and expanding it strategically, we can accelerate the adoption of state-of-the-art hydrogen technology that provides countless new job opportunities and paves the way for a more sustainable, greener future.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Governor’s Press Office, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov  

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